Welcome to Michaels Hopkins Cartoons Blog…a place for Michael's thoughts, observations, remembrances and general incoherent ramblings concerning the creative process behind his drawings and life in general...
Sunday, July 19, 2020
Update!
Saturday, July 18, 2020
Isabella Anatolia Manatova
Greetings! Today I want to share with you my latest creation, Isabella Anatolia Manatova.
I created Isabella on a 16” x 7 ¾” Canson art board in pen & Ink with a slight wash. I’ve never created anything like Isabella before. Although you can tell that it’s my work (style) it is also quite different from my other pieces of art...however, I am very pleased with the result. I honestly don't know where the inspiration for this drawing came from. I woke up this morning and she was on my mind, so I immediately put her onto paper.
Over the years I have had all sorts or ideas for creations, however most of them, I failed to act upon. The reason was usually because I didn't think the people who enjoyed the type of art I produced at the time, would appreciate or understand, new/different directions. As such, I let these ideas go and never put them on paper. I’m now at a phase in my career, where I'm drawing for myself (except of course, when I’m drawing caricatures at a gig or a commissioned piece). However, when I create new original pieces of art now, I don’t worry about what other people might think. This has made Michael a much happier person and I think the results speak for themselves. Below are a couple more examples of work that I have created recently, that the younger Michael would have tossed aside.
Bella
See ya next time!
Michael
Sunday, July 12, 2020
Introducing, My Patreon
- Access to my patron-only content
- My Eternal Gratitude
- Access to patron-only content
- My Eternal Gratitude
- A signed Birthday Card from Michael on your birthday, including an original Michael Hopkins scribble! (You must be a patron of Michael Hopkins on your birthday). Of course, I’ll need to know your birthday!
- Access to patron-only content
- My Eternal Gratitude
- A signed Birthday Card from Michael on your birthday, including an original Michael Hopkins scribble! (You must be a patron of Michael Hopkins on your birthday). Of course, I’ll need to know your birthday!
- One free “Event Caricature” of the person of your choice. The caricature will be sent to you via email, so make sure you include an email address!
Sunday, July 5, 2020
Let's take a trip to Lake Tahoe and draw some caricatures!
Because of COVID-19 it’s been a while since I’ve drawn my event caricatures. Although I felt no apprehension during the week leading up to the event, I have to admit, I didn’t sleep well the night before and had a few dreams about not being able to draw…would I still be able to draw?
I woke up to a beautiful July 4th morning. Although I had planned to make a stop at Mac’s and grab some 2 for $5.00 Sausage McMuffin & Egg sandwiches and coffee, on the way up to Tahoe, the bacon in the fridge called my name and instead of mac’s, I made my own breakfast. A penny saved is a penny earned, right?
I headed down to the Batcave at 8:30am. With the windows rolled down in the Batmobile, I turned on Batphone to Art Bell’s Dark Matter broadcast.. “Atomic battery to power, turbines to speed” Check and check...Let's roll!
What a magnificent drive it was! The batmobile performed well (as expected) and I think it enjoyed the drive as much as I did. When you’re driving from Reno to Tahoe, your world changes as you drive up US50 from Carson City. You go from a desert world of stripmalls and pavement to an oasis in about 12 miles.
Lake Tahoe is probably my favorite place in the world. My old favorite, Mt Rainier National Park is a close second. My third is Las Vegas...nobody understands this and I feel no need to explain. My fourth is the Pacific Ocean (any location on the Pacific coast). My fifth favorite use to be Seattle, but now since it appears to be on life support, Virginia City, moves up the list.
I arrived at the Tahoe Beach and Ski Club at 10am. The staff at Tahoe Beach and Ski Resort are some of the nicest, most accommodating people I’ve ever met. Especially Meagan and Riley! Those two were awesome! They had my canopy set up when I arrived and both were very accomodating concerning my requests. They started my day off right and it only got better from there. The guests were great, the pictures turned out well and it turned out to be a great comeback for my event caricatures!
Here’s to things only getting better from here!
Monday, June 15, 2020
Hey, Its Good to Be Back Home Again...
Sunday, May 10, 2020
Funny Airplanes and a Muse
Happy Mothers Day everyone!
How’s your weekend going? It appears that we're starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel in regards to our collective virus crises around the world. I hope everyone is okay and we can pull out of this insanity soon. The most important thing I learned for this crisis is that I need to be more prepared for times like these in case it happens again. Lesson learned…
So on with the drawing!
If you look to the right you’ll see my latest creation, The Michael Hopkins Aviation Caricatures website! This website is dedicated to the selling of my Aviation Caricatures (obviously, right?), both prints and originals. I created this to cut out the middle-man (more aptly named the middle-corporation) in the process of getting my art out to the public. I found that going through third party websites adds costs to my prints and I have less control of the quality of the prints I'm selling. Through my site, I can offer prints (of my art) at a reasonable price and ensure the quality is intact. At the same time, I can also offer my original drawing, through the same website. Of course the originals are much more expensive (based on the value I have placed on them). However, now that I offer prints (at a fair price) more people can afford to own my work. So there ya go! Please check it out and let me know what you think.
WARNING PG13 DRAWING/INFO BELOW! (What?!?! On Mother's Day???)
Instagram is full of many things. I find it as a decent marketing tool for my art and a way to communicate with family and friends. Of course, as many of us know there are the IG “models”. These are women (and I guess some men?) who are fortunate enough to be blessed with a beautiful face and body (or really good Photoshop skills), use said attractions, to gain followers. What do they do with these followers that they gain? Well, for the most part, they offer their followers links to sites where (for a small fee) they can see their photos uncensored (NAKED!!). So I guess what we have here, is the Playboy Magazine of the modern era. Except in this incarnation (for the most part..I think??), these women get to keep the money they make (as it should be).
Of course, I have encountered people who negatively judge these women for what they are doing. However, it is my belief not to judge others actions or choices (on or off Instagram) and for those of you who do judge their actions, a suggestion, open your bible to, The Gospel According to John, chapter 8 verses 3 - 7.
Given my love for the female form (and my love of women in general). I must confess, I do follow some of these Instagram accounts. One in particular that I am fond of is (WARNING!! LINK CONTAINS PARTIAL NUDITY!) @bellolesya. She is my definition of perfection. So much so, that she is the Muse behind my latest drawing. In fact, come to think of it, she probably is an actual Muse…
Other than Bellolesya, life's been consumed by aviation caricatures and fueling those aircraft...Not a bad life at all :)
See ya next time...